


everything's different, but the same.

by shisens



Category: Dude That's My Ghost!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, Other, Past Abuse, Swearing, because this tag is lacking mallory and she's important to me, i gave mallory a last name - which is the one of her voice actor because im Original(tm), if crap isnt ur jam fam, implied emotional abuse, mmmmaybe, mostly headcanon based?, platonic mal and spence talks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-06-24
Packaged: 2018-11-18 12:02:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11290323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shisens/pseuds/shisens
Summary: Mallory comes home, and Spencer finds out she wasn't as perfect as he'd thought.





	everything's different, but the same.

**Author's Note:**

> i recently got back into DTMG, and i have my own personal headcanons about mallory's life, so here's them in a fairly angsty fanfic. enjoy.

Mallory looks at the street, and it's far too familiar.  
Nothing's changed, either.

  She takes an intake of breath, already catching the smell of a barbecue, and some takeout she's never been to. There's people she recognizes walking by, and strangers with memorable faces. _Beverly Heights just draws in those types of people_ , she smiles, small and warm, before shutting her car door, and locking it. Beverly Heights also brings in _other_ types of people. 

   Mallory takes off from her parking spot fairly quickly, yet walking with some type of grace - something that's been drilled into her head to do, and a bad posture is something she would have to consciously consider. Nobody stops to gawk at her, or wave, because how would they know this was the same Mallory from her last day of high school? Sunglasses shaded away the brightening blue eyes, and curled, subtle ginger red, shoulder - length hair, replaced the long, brown locks that reached to the end of her back. The 'iconic', as Florine had once called it, faux fur jacket and white dress ditched for a comfy, maroon hoodie with sleeves pushed up, and simple jeans, that were rolled up to her ankles. Almost as if she was somebody completely new. But, some things never truly leave you.   
   After a few minutes of navigating through streets, she eventually comes to her destination: The WiFri. The warm colours, and general background noise of chatter, makes her feel more home than ever before. The television blares out some unimportant news, and no one is watching it. Just like nobody is watching her. It's oddly comforting, to not be in the spotlight all the time; to be ... unpopular? She decides to keep the sunglasses on as she seats herself on one of the barstools, and orders a small glass of coke (it always had to be _small_ ). Nude painted fingernails absentmindedly strum against the counter, as she decides to ignore the sudden buzzing of her phone, and instead look to the news - the only one that's watching it. Forgettable moments pass quickly, and a glass is placed in front of her. She gives out a polite 'thank you', and fiddles with the straw the drink comes with. Honestly, she doesn't know where to go for awhile, and how long she'll be here, but she knows that she's stalling. Stalling for the visit she has to do, because _they_ know she's back. She'll have to visit, and at that thought, teeth sink into her lip, and the tip of the straw is flattened. Mallory lightly shakes her head, it isn't the time to 'act up', and she adjusts the straw so she can actually drink. The drink, too, is familiar. Four years and everything is different, but the same; everything stays. She knows the image of Mallory, when she was eighteen, stayed, too. It's weird, if, or when, someone finds out it's her, they'll think of the girl from Beverly Beverly High School and see her that way, not the girl who spent four years slaving herself over psychology at school, blocking out the past. It's frustrating to know that.   
 

Everyone had questions as to why Mallory Gallagher left home so quickly, the place where she was loved and adored? 

   When asked why she was leaving half way through the summer, she'd simply respond with "I'm looking for something new", added with the same, light, smile she was _too_ successful in pulling off. Too successful, because she'd end up believing it herself sometimes. Her reason wasn't necessarily a lie, there _was_ the aspect of wanting something refreshing and new, but it wasn't the complete truth. Home was becoming suff-

"Alright, chill out! _Yes_ , Rajeev, you'll be in my next short. _If_ you think you can pull of a woman's dress ... No way, you did not 'rock' your sisters dresses back then, get real!"

   Mallory lifts her head from, she realises, staring at her drink, to the source of the new voice. She can't stop her eyebrows raising as she sees _Spencer Wright_ , laughing on the phone, still standing in the entrance. He's taller, but not by too much, and still retains that somewhat scrawny body he'd maintained throughout high school. _Lucky,_ she thinks, recalling her poor diet during college, and how expensive healthy food could be. He appears a lot more relaxed, though, and far more comfortable with himself. He's calming to watch.  
   Until, that is, someone pushes the door open, slamming into his back. He stumbles forward, phone drops out of his hand, and skids to her foot. He rubs his back while wincing, before both him, and the person who had walked through, apologise to each other. At this point, Mallory's picked up the phone, and sighs at the cracks on the screen - it looks fairly new, as well. Her thumb traces over the back of it, until a cough intercepts, and she lightly jumps. "Sorry, uh, that's my phone." Of course it's Spencer, who still looks _somewhat_ in pain. He looks a little surprised as he notices she's wearing sunglasses and sputters out "Oh, god, I'm sorry! I didn't know you were blind-"

"Don't worry, Spencer, I'm not blind."

Brown eyes blink, again, in surprise, as blue eyes greet him. He's completely silent, and Mallory finds the awkward pause too, well, awkward, and talks again. "It's me, Mallory Gallagher." Spencer's eyes widen, mouth left a little open. _Does she really look that different?_ She tries to give an assuring smile, the same one she used to give him occasionally when they'd pass each other, and everything seems to click within his mind.

"Mallory! I - uh, _holy_ \- you look so different!"

She was expecting a reply like that, so she nods her head, but he reads it wrong and-

"Not in, like, a bad way- you look great!"  
"Thank you, Spencer. You look different, yourself."  
"Is that meant in a bad way...?"  
She gives a laugh, and Spencer feels the fourteen year old him coming back, with his face beginning to burn up in embarrassment. Mallory notices, and stops, with her expression shifting to one of assurance.   
"No, don't worry. Anyway, you wanted your phone, right?"  
"Oh, yeah! Thanks. Uh, are you just about to go, or-?"  
"I think I'll be staying, I only got here five minutes ago, why?"  
"Well, it's been awhile, so...did you want to catch up?"  
"That'd be nice."

* * *

 

   Spencer notices Mallory is reserved, with the same smile on her face from high school. It's concerning, and _maybe_ , he didn't know a whole lot about her before, because she never let anyone know. Mallory Gallagher wasn't oddly mysterious to him anymore, but someone who wants to say something, like when he made a deal with Billy, that he wouldn't be able to not talk about how much he loved himself for a _whole week_. Wait, bad example. Whatever, _he_ got what he meant. Similes aside, he's still concerned. This Mallory looks...out of her element? As if she doesn't really belong in Beverly Heights anymore, and is somebody else. As if she's outgrown it. Maybe it's just because she's completely changed her style, maybe it was college - _hey_ , all he took was online classes, he doesn't know what college does to someone. But, whatever it was, she just seemed...different, but the same?   
   He talks with her about how his life is going, how other people have been doing. He didn't even think she'd know who his sister was, but she asks about her, too. He mentions how he stills lives at home, for...family reasons. Mallory doesn't pry, and switches the topic just before he goes to ask about her family. It's a little awkward, they're both at a certain distance from each other, avoiding some subjects. They're both shuffling around topics they want to talk about, to ask. Moreso Spencer, knowing he wants to ask about what's wrong, what happened, why did she really leave, yet never knowing if, or when he should bring it up. 

   He decides he should when it goes quiet, and Mallory takes a sip of her drink.

"Why'd you leave?"

   Mallory places her drink down, swallows, and he expects another smile, and the reason she'd given to everyone the summer she'd left. However, she seems to be considering something, with a frown on her face, taking heavy interest in the straw inbetween her fingertips. Suddenly, she takes the straw out, takes a final sip of her drink, and stands up, glass placed on the table more forceful than usual. She asks him: "Do you have time to go on a walk?" He says yes.

* * *

 

 

   Mallory has her sunglasses on again, as they stroll down the streets. They're quiet for awhile, as she seems to look around - stalling. Nothing is said until they reach the second block they walk to, and Mallory starts to talk, a new sense of sadness, and frustration that Spencer's _never_ heard Mallory speak with before. 

   "Have you ever gotten tired of something, but...can't really do anything about it?"

   Spencer thinks of an instance, and jokingly thinks: _yes, if you count being haunted by my dead, distant relative,_ though the mood definitely isn't for jokes, and Mallory doesn't know about that anyway. The only scenario he can imagine is when his MeTube followers were somewhat demanding for another part of a series he'd already filmed enough for, and gotten bored with, or maybe every time Jessica tried to rat on him, so he replies with "Yeah, sort of." She seems to take it, and continues on. "Well, that's how home, _here_ , felt like, and I needed to go. There was...something that I couldn't do anything about, except, leave it? And I didn't know if I could....... I still don't." The quiet envelops them, as Spencer is left speechless. They've stopped walking, stood in the street, and his brows are furrowed, while the pavement has her attention. The explanation is vague, and there's something behind it that Mallory is keeping away, and whatever it is, it's heavy. Spencer can't find the words to say, and Mallory's already giving him a smile. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be bothering you with this, Spencer. I'll see you later." Before Spencer can register it, Mallory's gone round the corner of the street, leaving him on his own. He runs round the corner, only to bump into a dog walker, and sees no one else. 

 _Time to go home, and think,_ he decides.

 

**Author's Note:**

> sorry if they seem a little ooc, the show, especially for mallory, doesn't give us a whole lot. plus, they're older here. i'm trying my best odgjs  
> THIS HASNT BEEN PROOF READ SO IM SORRY FOR MISTAKES


End file.
